Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 434 — page 15: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Lucifer L Seen | ‘*T am the only Gold Grit in existence in any shape. There is—there can be no other!” ‘““We'’ve seen you both!” was the reply. ‘¢Ther ‘ Red Divide’ don’t want ther reputation 0’ bein’ ther devil’s territory.” “It’s got it now and no wonder!” ejaculated the myth-hunter, with a smile. ‘‘ We can’t stan’ byer all night, boy. This is a game ther like o’ which ther ‘ Divide’ has never had!” exclaimed the voice, which had done all the talking on the outside. ‘* Open the door afore we break it in.” Gold Grit looked at the heavy bar that rested firmly in its place and gave a smile of confi- dence. ‘*Tt is a battle against odds,” he mentally ex- claimed, ‘* This is what 1 get for running from a lie in Thunder City.” A short silence succeeded the last demand, then all at once a loud report stunned the young miner’s ears, and splinters flew from the door. The toughs of Lightning Lay-out had fired into it at short range! ‘That is the beginning,” muttered Gold Grit, and then slipping to the little window alongside the door, he lifted the buckskin curtain at one corner and looked out. It was a moment when the sky was clear and the brilliant starlight aided somewhat by a declining moon revealed in part the ground before the cabin. At first Gold Grit saw nothing, for the smoke of the revolvers had not lifted far above the ata but in a minute he noticed the stalwart en of the men who had come for him, hey stood in front of the mountain fort, veritable giants in the night, with broad hats variously trimmed, buckskinned trowsers in high boots, and embroidered jackets, . ightning Lay-out had come in gala costume | for the young gold-seeker of the mountains. While Gold grit watched the toughs and counted them, seven in all, his fingers tightened without effort at the butt of his revolver, “That’s only an introduction!” sung out a voice. ‘* Yer door ain’t bullet-proof nor even /man-proof! It'll fly like a broken shingle before ther twenty tigers o’ Lay-out!” “Thirteen from twenty leave seven!” ex- claimed Gold Grit. ‘‘ Menof Lightning Lay-out, Iam where I see youall. My revolver is look- ing into your faces now and my finger is at the gger. Thisisa fight for life, and I accept it as such, It is not an encounter of my seeking, . therefore, the work of my revolver must not be | put on my hands, This mountain cabin is my , castle. It shall be defended!” The myth-bunter’s defiance drew the gaze of | the ruffians to the window. They were all di- rectly in his front. Ten feet only separated the pards of Light- ning Lay-out from the cabin. The distance was hardly a full leap for the most agile. In the silence that followed his last sentence Gold Grit thought he saw the villains planning new deviltry. — —" _ —_— ee Suddenly three of the gang disappeared. meant something, and the young bonanza , trailer waited. In a little while a shout assailed his ears, and when the four who had remained stepped aside, | he saw the missing trio holding up the limb of a mountain pine, over which he had stepped a dozen times. ; With this novel but dangerous battering-ram the door could be hurled in despite the heavy barricade. of ' Gold Grit acknowledged this in the depths of his heart. ‘‘ We make a last demand,” cried the leader of the toughs, removing his laced hat. ‘* Open the door or we open it with our artillery!” **Open it yourselves!” ra. The seven $pped the ram with stern deter- mination, and drew back for the charge. The glittering revolver resting on the sill of the little window, awaited the signal. All at once it rung loud and clear from the throat of the leader. ‘Wor Lay-out an’ victory! Charge!” The seven stalwarts leaped forward, and then the cabin window seemed on fire! CHAPTER XVIII, JUST IN TIME, “‘ For Lay-out an’ victory !—charge!” The voice of the leader of the seven shouted these words in thunder tones, and the gang went ‘straight at the shanty door with their battering- ram. As we have said, the charge was followed by ,@ flash of flame from the little window, and the ‘foremost de-perado on the right threw up his hands and staggered back. _ | Again and again, three times in all, and in bewildering succession, the deadly revolver of Gold Grit spoke defiance in the faces of his foes, Despite it all the “‘ ram” struck the door with crashing force, and drew an exclamation of fear from the myth-hunter’s lips. : ~ The window would no longer do him any ser- vice, and with lips glued together, he stepped coolly back and waited for the door to be forced. It was the most desperate moment of Gold Grit’s life. or re eee. eee eee —_—— SS ——————————————————— oOo rr : ’ = 4 Tre Sa te pee Be ¥ There was an interval of silence, a breathing space as it seemed, between the first blow and the next. The sudden depletion of their ranks had not discouraged the besiegers, Crash! crash! came the ‘‘ ram” again against the door! The barricade started, and Gold Grit stepped a little further back. In another second the toughs of Montana would be inside. Nothing could prevent this catastrophe. Nothing! Suddenly the operations of the ruffians were suspended. The bonanza-hunter wondered what had happened; he could not believe that help was at hand, for who would come to his rescue at that hour? ‘* Hello! what means all this?” rung out a loud voice, as the four giants in buckskin and lace were about to launch the ‘‘ram™” for the last time against the cabin door. ‘“Seems ter me thet it’s a game ov odds, Why, one man could nearly kick thet cabin over, Let up on thet batterin’ game awhile, will yer?” The speaker was walkirg toward the cabin with a heavy six-shooter hanging from one of his hands, and the four roughs were staring at him in astonishment. ‘*Ho! thar’s been work hyer!” the stranger went on, glancing at the human figures that lav in the starlight, and the next moment he halted in front of the quartette whose hands still grip- ped the effective *‘ ram.” ** Who ar’ you?’ asked one of the four. ‘** They call me Ozark Oll,” was the answer. ‘* From Thunder, eh?’ ‘* From Thunder City!” ‘* Well, we've treed ther varmint we war lookin’ for in Thunder t’other night.” ‘* Ah!” exclaimed the man who had come up. ** You belong ter Lightnin’ Lay-out?” ‘* We do for a thousand!” Ozark Oll threw a quick look toward the cabin. ‘‘ War all this fuss for one man?” he asked with a smile. ‘*¥or ther young myth-sharp o’ ther ‘ Divide? As we couldn’t get ’im in Thunder, we took to ther trail ourselves with this result—look!” and the speaker ground his teeth as his hand de- scribed the motionless forms on the ground. _“TI didn’t expect ter find Gold Grit in a fix like this,” mentally ejaculated Ozark. ‘My opinion is that I’ve caught him in a close place. I know these men, they are the picked toughs o’ the liars’ nest over ther ‘ Divide.’ But I am hyer ter save ther boy for Major Sphinx, an’ it’s got ter be done!” Meantimethe young gold-hunter in the bat- tered shanty was listening almost breathless to the words passing between the parties outside. ‘* The respite has come in the shape of Ozark Oll of Thunder City,” he remarked to himself. ‘*T never knew him to be a foe of mine, although he belongs to the pang who want my blood for Reckless Roy’s death. lowe him something, however. e has stopped the assault; he has johny me a breathing-spell, and the tigers of y-out may go back without their game.” ‘** The bares galoot in thar is outlawed,” re- sumed one of the mountain pards, breaking the silence. “It war done in solemn caucus an’ without a dissenting voice. We don’t proscribe men in Lay-out just for ther fun o’ proscribin’ ’em. We're tired o’ ther youngster who’s in league with Satan.” ‘*What would you do with him?” ‘“*Ther answer ter thet question lies behind ver, Ozark Ol,” was the reply. ‘‘ Do you think we'd make ’im alcalde o’ Lightnin’ Lay-out?” The sentence ended in a sneer, ‘*Gentlemen, I call a halt!” exclaimed the Thunder City tough. “The camp I represent has as good a right to the man in the shanty as Lightnin’ Lay-out.” ** After all this?’ ‘é Yes bb | There was an aggressive movement by the four toughs, but Ozark checked it by stepping quickly forward. ‘Inter this mountain game any number o’ players kin enter!” he continued. ‘It is free ce all, an’ I am hyer ter represent Thunder ‘* Which means—what?’ demanded one of the quartette with a scowl, ‘““Tt means that I winif I kin!” and the next second two revolvers were thrust into the faces of the four. ‘Gents, thar’s not a drop o’ friendly blood be- tween Thunder an’ Lay-out!” came from behind the leveled weapons. ‘It has been thus ever since the vulture first looked down on our re- acl towns, an’ ther time has not come for hunder ter give up its rights. Shall I make it plainer? You will take yer dead an’ go back!” This was plain enough for the most ignorant. The quartette saw the athletic figure and cool lack eyes cf the man from Thunder, and they could look into the deadly barrels of the revolv- ers he held forward. It was four against one, but the one had the advantage. ents; not ter-night!” ‘*Some other time, grinned Ozark Ol, ‘‘ By-and-by, mebbe, ther ynx, the Wonder-Detective. 15 | game will take a twist for Lay-out, but just now _I’m sorry ter say it b’longs ter ther Idaho side o’ ther everlastin’ hills. You kin take my compli- ments back with yer dead. How many cid ther boy get?—three? He must ’a’ had yer full in ther face as yer came up.” There was no answer beyond flashing eyes and lowered brows. The now useless *‘ram” had dropped from the hands of the late besiegers, and they stvod at the mercy of revolvers as deadly as the one wielded by the young myth-hunter in the cabin. ‘*Tf we go, remember Thunder City will suffer for this!” suddenly blurted one of the four. “You'll always find Thunder ready ter become a martyr!” smiled Ozark. ‘‘An’ I kin say for it thet whenever you want a game, you will be | accommodated in any sbape. I give yer five | minutes, gents. If any of yer ar’ before me | then I’m hable ter finger ther triggers I’m touch- | in’ now.” | _ The four men drew back as with a single mo- tion, and Ozark Oll sprung forward, and by a quick turn brought his back to the cabin-door. With a look of triumph in his eyes, he stil! cov- ered the ruffians with the revolvers and watched them drag rather than carry off the victims of their mad attempt to get the proscribed, It was the work of a few moments only, and as they disappeared, a noise sounded behind Ozark and the door opened, | ‘*By Jupiter! warn’t I in ther nick o’ time, boy?’ cried the Thunder City tough, springing to Gold Grit’s side. ‘‘ This is what I call by ther skin 0’ one’s teeth, eh?’ ‘* A close call,” said the youth, holding out his | hand. “I was not looking for you Ozark Oll,.” __. “IT should reckon not,” was the answer; *‘ but | I’m one.o’ those handy devils what turn up un- | expectediy, an’ aluays whar I’m wanted. Thun- der City is on top as usual. Oh, she never plays under dog in a fight, Gold Grit,” and Ozark laughed, nct so much over his victory, as at his delight to find tbe person of so much conse- | quence to Major Sphinx, The big tough cf Thunder City bad scored a success that gave him unlimited joy. ‘‘T guess ther major’s big game will move along now!” he cried to himself. ‘* Of course, in order ter make it succeed, we’ve got ter keep Gold Grit from ther clutches of Scar Chick an’ pards, but we kin dothet. Why should I wcrk in double harness with Julian the Spider whcn I'm_a whole hoss myself? Jupiter jingo! they don’t find better men than Ozark Oll wien it comes ter mountain-trailin’ an’ grit. I say it myself an’ [m always on hand ter prove ther assertion.” Gold Grit did not overwhelm his bronze de- liverer with thanks, | He knew the nature of the man, but be did not know the real motive that had tempted Lim to the rescue. He was yet to find that out. ‘‘What do they say about me in Thunder City?” the young bonanza-hunter asked with app*rent anxiety. ‘* Nothin’ very complimentary ov course,” smiled Ozark. ** You know under what sarcum- stances you left thar?” The young man flushed. ; ‘“‘ Yes, under the brand of an infamous lie!”? he exclaimed, ‘“IfI had it to do over, Ozark, I would not be here now. Mvy hands shed Reck- less Roy’s blood; but they did not take bis life. He was on the way to recovery when he died,” **So Doctor Lynx says,” was the reply. ‘Whar is that man?” ‘*T don’t know,” which was true, for Gold Grit did not know where the Wonder-Detective was at that moment. | ‘* Ain’t be more than mere Doctor Lynx?’ queried Ozark Ol). ‘* You will have to ask him,” ‘* Just as if he would tell, ha, ha!” was the rejoinder. ‘‘If you had stayed in Thunder City the pards o’ Reckless Roy would have added am one 0’ those pards.” x ‘What do you think of hisdesth? Tell me the truth, Ozark, and look mein the eye while you talk.”’ ‘*Thet’s a point I won't discuss,” was the answer.” I didn’t come hyer ter give an opin- ion ag’in’ ther sentence o’ Thunder City. you want to go back thar?” Gold Grit seemed to forget his promise to Lucifer Lynx. “Tam ready to toward the door. ‘* me back, let us go!” ‘‘ Grit isn’t always policy, my boy !” exclaimed Ozark. o!” he exclaimed startin f you have come to escol out in ther wakc o’ ther four pards who ’ve just left ol “Then, what is to be done? Am I to remain here and fight for my life?” se No ? ‘* You are one of the would-be-avengers of Reckless Roy. ‘*T am not,” replied the mountain sport. ‘*There is a man who sent me upon your trail because he doesn’t want to see you slaughtered like a sheep in the shambles.” * Who is he?” * Major Sphinx?” “eom rr sss rrr a > (E S ,OO en ae you to the silent camp on the mountain-side. I. Do <. ‘* You don’t want ter go ter Thunder | City just now any more than ter Lightnin’ Lay- | com